Ten years on, Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk still divides and fascinates film fans. Ang Lee’s 2016 war drama pushed projection and performance so far that even its release became a technical challenge—and the decisions behind the 120fps image are worth breaking down.
Only five cinemas could show it fully
Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk was not a normal rollout. The highest-resolution, maximum-frame-rate version was so complex that only five theaters globally were equipped to project it in its intended format: two in the United States—AMC Lincoln Square in New York City and the ArcLight Hollywood in Los Angeles—and one each in Taipei, Beijing, and Shanghai.
The premiere skipped Alice Tully Hall
The world premiere came at the 54th New York Film Festival on October 14, 2016, but not at Alice Tully Hall. The hall was too large to get the correct distance between the dual laser projectors and the screen. Instead, a roughly 300-seat theater at AMC Lincoln Square on the Upper West Side was chosen. The first three rows were off limits because they would not provide an acceptable 3D viewing experience, and a new RealD Ultimate Screen was installed expressly for the premiere and the forthcoming run.
Twin 4K laser projectors were a first
For that festival presentation, the installation used two Christie Mirage 4K HDR laser projectors—a first for any theaters—with 7thSense’s Media Server for playback. It also used RealD’s 3D system and a 42-foot-by-19-foot Ultimate Screen. RealD chief innovation officer Pete Lude said the installation was expected to display 28 foot-lamberts per eye.
High frame rate made every take precious
Principal photography began in the second week of April 2015 in Locust Grove, Georgia, and shooting took place for 49 days. Because shooting at a very high frame rate was so complex, Lee could not afford to do many takes even for a single scene. He rehearsed every scene beforehand and conducted regular morning meetings with key crew members to highlight details they needed to watch.
No makeup could be worn in close-ups
Shooting close-up shots in 3D with such high resolution meant the cast could not wear make-up and could not deliver less-than-authentic performances. Make-up artist Luisa Abel spent months of preparation on their skin tones. Lee said Abel found a silicone-based makeup because the camera could see through skin.
Soldiers trained Navy SEAL-style for weeks
The actors playing soldiers endured weeks of Navy SEAL-style boot camp training so they would look like real soldiers. They were given guns with special springs that added recoil when they shot blanks, a feeling that often left them shaking. Lee stated: ‘They cannot shoot like Rambo with two guns! A real bullet cannot shoot that bravely.’
War scenes reversed the usual chaos
For the war sequences, Lee strayed from the usual practice of moving cameras to create confusion. He did the opposite, shooting mostly from the protagonist’s point-of-view to capture realism and look more authentic. The production team also had to rethink lighting because the higher frame rates required extra lights.
Editor finished one day before the premiere
Lee’s longtime collaborator Tim Squyres—who worked with the director on Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Brokeback Mountain, and Life of Pi—edited the film and took over a year to complete it. It was completed just a day before its New York City world premiere on October 14. For the wide release, additional versions were created, including 120 fps in 2D, 60 fps in 3D, and the standard 24 fps. The film also received a Dolby Cinema release with two high dynamic range versions that could accommodate 2D and 3D, with up to 120 fps in 4K resolution.
Joe Alwyn won the role days after drama school
Joe Alwyn was cast just two days after he left London’s Royal Central School of Speech & Drama. Lee had trouble casting him or any other actors after the screen test, so Alwyn went to Georgia for additional screen tests. In Atlanta, he did four to five days of testing on set; about a week and a half later, at around 1 a.m., he received the acceptance call. He won the role for his ability to communicate the book’s paradox of war with just his facial expressions.
From five cinemas to no-makeup close-ups, the production is full of details that were only possible because Lee pushed the format. Which 120fps fact is the one you still talk about?
Facts from Wikipedia: Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk (film), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Film images from TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.